Thanks for the ideas - we had our first meeting this week and had a fairly decent turn out. We went over all of our goals for the year and what we would need from parents to accomplish these goals - the same core group volunteered and some of the new Kindergarten parents. The excuse I am trying to overcome the most is "Oh, I would love to help BUT, I work and when I get home I am so tired.....". I am a scientist - I work also and I have three children - I realize we are ALL busy - but if everyone gave a little - well, no sense in going on - I sent out a letter begging for volunteers as we are on the verge of losing some wonderful activities for the kids - anyone who has been here - PLEASE HELP!!

Gently remind the parents that the more involved they are:

A) the happier their children are (they LOVE it when they're at their school activities)

the more the kids will be able to participate in activities, for without volunteers, they cannot happen.

Good luck!

I wrote my first post after I found this site and THEN I registered - sorry for the name change, Anyway, thank you for your idea - we do have grade parents but, we hadn't thought of them being responsible for anything outside the classroom - I think its a great idea. Our first big meeting is tonight - we are thinking of going through each event / fundraiser and, after we discuss it, sending sign up sheets throughout the room - hopefully we don't send'em running!

Have a homeroom parent for each class and they can, in turn, contact each parent in the class to host an event. You are always going to have some that won't help, but if they are personally asked, maybe the no won't come as easily. And if they know they can do one event, but not have to do every one, that would take the pressure off. Good luck! :cool:

I am a new PTO President of a small private school and I am feeling quite overwhelmed. I have always been very involved for the three years we have been in our school (I have three young ones). It is a wonderful school with great teachers and great potential - BUT, getting parents to help is like pulling teeth. It is the same group of people helping every time and I am worried about them getting burned out. Myself and the other 3 board members are picking up the slack everywhere and starting to run thin - I don't want us to overlook anything. How do we get parents to want to help and not just complain? ANY ideas would be sooooooooo wonderful.